I am going to start a tile project tomorrow, tiling in a kitchen, three walls, from the counter to the upper cabinets. I know this does not sound too difficult, but the design she wants has raised a couple of questions. Tile is 6″x6″, set at a 45 degree diagonal. The space in between the counter and uppers is 14″. This allows for one row of tile to be centered in between with approx. 3″ of space above and below the top and bottom corners. Now, where the corners of these tiles meet each other on the sides, there is to be a 2″x2″ glass tile inset, also on the diagonal, to look like a diamond. Now I know I will have to cut an L shape out of the corner of each of the four tiles to inset the 2″. My question is this; do I start with the middle row of tiles to be sure I am straight for getting the 2″ to fit perfect, and then work down to the counter and then up to the top, from there? Or do I try to start at the counter and work up the whole way, getting precise placement with perfect layout lines? I will be using 1/8″ spacers.
The look she wants is for one row of the 2″ tile(different color) centered on the backsplash’ all the way around the room. It seems to me that if I start in the middle, it will be easier to keep straight, but the issue of holding the tile in place, and trying to work downward with the spacers is a concern. Also the 2″ tiles are about half the thickness of the 6″ tiles but she wants them to be flush on the surface. Do I just apply more mastic to them to bring them out or should I put a thin piece of wood in behind them?? Any advice from you experienced tile guys out there will be greatly appreciated!!Thanks!!
Duey
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Don't use mastic. Normally it would work well, but if you know the tiles have different thickness then there's a better way. Use thinset, the dry stuff in the bag that you mix with water. It's common to add a little thicker thinset to account for thin tiles. Or you could trowle and comb the thinset on the wall, then backbutter the tile as needed to shim it out.
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You need to do some dry layout and cutting. And yes, work from the bottom up.
I would try to talk her into laying those inserts just horizontal and perpedicular, that way you only have to clipp the corners of the field tile. It wouls save you tons of work. You may want to open up those joints a tad to to give you alittle more figget room.
The issue of the thickness difference is a pia sometime. The reason I don't like thinset here is that it lacks the ability to keep the tile from sliding. mastic works much better at that. but using spacers will negate most of that.
You may wish to go back and set the decos after the feild tile. Be aware that built up mastics, be the thinset or trowel glue, often shrink unpredictably.
Good luck.
Eric
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It is probably too late, but the joint between tile and countertop should be detailed with the Schluter trim piece, "Dilex-BWA." There are enough guys doing tilework using Schluter around here, that I could probably get enough lineals of the Dilex I would need, by making a couple calls and an early morning stop.
It is a much finer way of handling the joint than doing it with caulk. And never, never, ever, think that you can grout that joint.
Grouted, it'll fail sure as shootin'. The wall and countertop will move counter to each other, sooner or later.
Here it is, but imagine the pic rotated 90 degrees, and the bottom of the trim sitting flush to the countertop. Available in a small range of colors (whites, grays, beige, black), it is bought in the "H" size to match the tile thickness. The 3/16" exposure, in the color, is seen buried back from the tile face, by the thickness of the thinset bed.
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